We recognise the challenges and unique circumstances that Forces families often face, and our profound experience means we offer a nurturing, supportive and understanding environment to students. For this reason, our school provides a true ‘home away from home’ where students thrive in a safe, supportive and structured boarding environment offering exceptional education, outstanding co-curricular opportunities, and pastoral excellence.
This guide is designed to help Forces families make confident, informed decisions, and highlight why DOYRMS is so popular with Forces families for its support, stability, and care.
Forces Families
For over 220-years, our school has supported Forces families. We are proud to have around 440 full boarders, 50% of which are from Forces families, and we are deeply committed to providing comprehensive support to students and parents throughout their time with us.
Our school is renowned for its stability and continuity of education, which is especially valuable for children from Armed Forces families who may experience frequent relocations due to their parents’ service commitments. We understand that this mobility can impact a child’s educational journey, which is why we conduct thorough assessment upon enrolment to gauge their progress and ensure they receive appropriate support to catch up on any missed work.
In addition to academic support, we prioritise the wellbeing of our Forces families by providing a supportive and inclusive community where students can find camaraderie and understanding among their peers. Our pastoral staff are experienced in addressing the unique needs of serving personnel and their families, offering guidance and assistance whenever required.
At DOYRMS, students choose from a wide range of GCSEs, A-Levels and BTECs, plus enrichment opportunities which universities and employers highly value.
The results speak for themselves: in 2025, 88% of students moved on to university, over half to Russell Group institutions. At GCSE we are ranked in the top 5% of schools nationally, with students making exceptional progress.
We pride ourselves on offering small class sizes, averaging fewer than 20 at GCSE and just 10 at A Level.
As a non-selective school, with only Sixth Form students requiring to meet a minimum entry criteria, our curriculum is accessible to all and covers a range of interests from academics, to the Arts and sport.
Boarding at DOYRMS is about far more than accommodation, it’s about belonging to a supportive family. Students feel safe, cared for, and encouraged to thrive.
Each House has a Houseparent, Tutors, and Pastoral Leaders who provide wraparound support. Vertical tutor groups (mixed Years 7–11) foster role modelling and peer mentoring, while trained peer listeners add an extra layer of guidance.
At Sixth Form, students benefit from separate university-style accommodation with en-suite rooms. This allows for independence at this critical examination stage and provides a stepping-stone to university or life after school.
Some schools limit pastoral care to house staff alone. At DOYRMS, teachers work in the boarding houses, making sure students are known in all aspects of school life. This ensures every child has multiple trusted adults and peers to turn to at any time.
An exeat weekend is when students must leave school and return home. At many boarding schools, these are compulsory and can be disruptive for families and students, especially those living overseas.
DOYRMS does not require compulsory leave during exeat weekends. students can stay in their House, enjoying stability and continuity. Around 70% of students remain in school, keeping Houses lively and supportive.
During exeat weekends, students make use of our extensive 150-acre parkland estate, on-site facilities, and spending time with their friends.
At DOYRMS, families always know how their child is progressing and thriving. Parents receive regular academic reports, news updates, and access to the parent app to track achievements, prep, and sanctions. Parent consultations run in a hybrid model, allowing online participation when required, and staff respond quickly to emails.
All students have Wi-Fi access on personal devices, enabling them to stay in touch with family regularly.
Students, affectionally knows as Dukies, also remain connected with each other as life at a boarding school provides continuity of friendships. At DOYRMS, our thriving Dukie Alumni network is testament to this, with many former expat students continuing to be in contact with Dukie friends throughout university and beyond.
At many boarding schools, weekends can feel empty, with most students going home. At DOYRMS around 80% of students stay in, creating a lively, welcoming community.
Weekends are filled with trips, sports, activities, and social time, while teachers and House staff provide individual pastoral support.
Forces families can take comfort knowing their children are never left isolated and they enjoy weekends with their friends within our Dukie family.
Set in beautiful Kent countryside, our parkland estate combines safety with accessibility. We are close to Eurotunnel, ferry ports, and London airports for straightforward travel.
Transport to Dover Priory station is provided at the end of terms and half-terms, when students return home. Transfers direct to airports can be arranged too. For late departures, reasonable overnight boarding is also available, ensuring students are safely looked after before travel.
Forces families should always consider where their next move may be, a school with easy connections to airports is ideal for any overseas postings.
Students enjoy exceptional facilities, such as a modern fitness suite (“the Duke Box”), indoor heated swimming pool, Olympic-standard athletics track, extensive sports pitches, and a floodlit astro pitch.
Facilities are available during lessons, co-curricular activities, and free time, allowing students to explore talents and hobbies fully. Some schools facilities are at different sites or closed in the evenings. We open our facilities as much as possible to students.
Students benefit from over 60-weekly clubs and societies, regular productions, and a high-performing sports programme—all at no additional cost. We also proudly offer sporting links with professional clubs such as the Ealing Trailfinders though our Sports Scholarships.
DOYRMS offers one of the most affordable full-boarding experiences in the UK, with parents who are eligible for the MOD’s Continuity of Education Allowance only required to pay 8% of fees (£592 per term). These fees cover accommodation, meals, exam costs, and nearly all co-curricular activities. Each student also receives a school-provided laptop.
Other schools often charge extra for essentials, creating unpredictable costs. Our inclusive approach gives families peace of mind and ensuring equality of access for all. We believe a students experience should never depend on a family’s ability to pay for add-ons.
All students must have two nominated guardians in the UK. Families without relatives nearby can appoint guardians through one of the many professional UK guardianship companies. We support families with this process.
This ensures children always have trusted adults available for guidance and support outside of school.
DOYRMS provides comprehensive healthcare on site, with a medical centre staffed by trained clinicians where GP clinics are run regularly, plus medical escorts for offsite appointments.
Pastoral and wellbeing staff are available at all times, ensuring students are supported academically, physically, and emotionally.
This level of care gives Forces families reassurance that their child’s health and wellbeing are always a top priority.
In recognition of our ongoing support for Armed Forces families, we are proud to have been nominated for the Armed Forces Advocate Award for a second consecutive year at the 2026 Celebrating Forces Families Awards. This nomination reflects our ongoing dedication to making a positive difference for the Armed Forces community.
“We attended an open day where I asked a panel of students what they would say to a mother who was considering sending their child to full board at DOYRMS and their responses bought tears to my eyes. The pride of being a ‘Dukie’ and the confidence of the students won me over on the spot. We chose this school as a joint decision with our son; the main factors were the military heritage and links, the values and the level of pastoral care and the ‘home from home’ feel of the dorms and house parents. Not every child is expected to be a mathematician or a rugby player, but they are encouraged and fully supported to excel and do their best”. – DOYRMS Military Mum
CEA Accredited
The school offers specific assistance to serving personnel who qualify for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), allowing their children to benefit from our exceptional education and boarding facilities at a significantly reduced cost.
Eligible families pay only 8% of the annual boarding fee, covering all boarding expenses, thereby easing the financial burden associated with quality education. Additional costs are limited to School and Sports uniforms, as well as select extracurricular activities including excursions.
The Education Advisory Team (UK) is available to provide guidance and information to service families and eligible Ministry of Defence (MOD) civilians regarding their children’s education in the UK. They can be contacted via email at RC-DCS-HQ-EAT@mod.gov.uk.
Ultimately, at the Duke of York’s Royal Military School, we strive to create a welcoming and supportive environment where students from Forces families feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
“Boarding – as one might imagine – can come across daunting, particularly when partnered with the idea of the military. Growing up in a Force’s family, I was in and out of different primary schools and moved often.
However, whether military or not, the Duke of York’s Royal Military School provides an open opportunity for all, to develop their independence; learn; gain connections; and most importantly, to grow.
A combination of friendship, education, opportunity, and experience provides the definition of this boarding school. The school has helped me work to enrich my sociality, acquire a level of independence I thought impossible at this age, all the while providing the highest level of academic assistance possible”. – Saffron, Year 12
